


The A to Z of Phobias

by AwokenMonster



Category: Three Days Grace (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Matt has a lot of phobias, Phobias, lots of fluff, smut later too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-27 10:49:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20044756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwokenMonster/pseuds/AwokenMonster
Summary: Based on Neil's comment: "Matt, you wanna bust out a scroll of phobias you have?"A collection of Matt with a phobia one-shotsChapter 1: Aphenphosmphobia - the fear of touchRated E for future smut, violence and language





	The A to Z of Phobias

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphenphosmphobia - the fear of touch
> 
> Matt's got a strange response to Neil's hands on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monster: Hi guys! I'm really psyched to do lesser known phobias for these one-shots and proud to present the first choice; Aphenphosmphobia. I wrote this entire fic while listening to Can't Help But Falling In Love (dark version) by Tommee Profitt ft. Brooke. It really gave me this dark, tentative atmosphere of wanting to touch but being afraid to. Enjoy!

**Aphenphosmphobia - The Fear of Touch**

Neil swirled the liquid of his drink in his cup. Sitting at the small table at the bus, he had an excellent view of Matt on the couch. The young man smiled at something Barry was saying, nodding and leaning in with his elbows on his knees. Barry used his hands to explain.

They were probably talking about something that happened while they played Battlefield 5. Matt had been crazy excited for the game to come out, though he was slightly disappointed with it. It wasn’t as good as Battlefield 1 and the latter wasn’t even as good as Battlefield 3 or 4 but it was fun and it was fun to play it with Barry. Neil bit his lip, tearing some skin off the inside with it. He observed Matt, feeling much like a predator. His cheeks heated at the idea of preying on Matt like that. He wasn’t stalking and he wasn’t watching him because Matt was his prey; he just had a theory to test.

For the past few months Neil had noticed a little habit Matt had. It was a little something he had discovered by accident but ever since he looked for that same thing again, he’d noticed it.

The first time had been after a concert. Matt was chatting away with Brad, one of the rare times he spoke freely and wildly, he was far less active when he knew people were watching him. Neil came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. Matt had flinched, drawing in a sharp breath. Of course, Neil had noticed, but he’d shrugged it off as a startled response because Matt hadn’t seen him creep up behind him.

Neil downed his drink, still staring at the pair on the couch. Brad was up front somewhere, probably talking to the driver before they took off to their next destination.

After the little flinch Matt had given him, Neil hadn’t paid much attention until he noticed it again. Matt would shudder, flinch or pull away as soon as any part of Neil touched his body. At first Neil had seen it as a sign of disgust but Matt enjoyed his presence, loved talking to Neil and always sought him out to hang out. Matt was not disgusted by Neil.

So was it physical attraction that made him uncomfortable? No way, Neil thought, his pupils would dilate when looking at Neil if that were the case – which okay, they did – but Matt didn’t seem to show any other signs of attraction such as sweaty palms, blushing, laughing too hard. Though Neil enjoyed Matt’s laugh – where the fuck did that come from?

Since Neil hadn’t been able to find a logic explanation for Matt’s strange responses, he’d been observing. That was why he’d been watching Matt’s interaction with Barry. He was waiting for Matt to show if he did the same when Barry touched him. Though with Barry, a calm and composed man who wasn’t very touchy feely to begin with, it wasn’t really an effective way to study Matt.

_So why don’t you just ASK him?_

You might wonder.

Neil had tried to ask once. He had touched Matt and after receiving the same flinch, Neil had asked. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

“Your response to my hand.”

“Huh?”

“You flinched.”

“I did?”

As you may notice, it was a dead end to ask. Matt wasn’t giving in to Neil’s pressure so all he could do, was see how Matt responded to others. See if it was a general thing or a personal one.

But yeah, Barry was giving him nothing. Neil was honestly THIS close to yelling “TOUCH HIM” but he knew that comment would probably get some weird looks from everyone. Neil pushed himself upright and put his cup on the counter before walking over to sit across from them. Around that same time Brad entered and jumped into the couch, half crushing Matt with it.

Matt grumbled, shoving Brad off. Neil raised an eyebrow. He sure didn’t show any bad responses to Brad touching him. This shit _was_ personal. Shit, Neil had hoped Matt was only fucking with him – not in the fun way – but Matt really only didn’t like _his_ touch?

Why did this idea bother him so much? It’s just a touch, right?

No, it really didn’t sit well with Neil. He didn’t like it at all. In fact, he’d been quiet all night because of it. The others had noticed but they hadn’t asked. They assumed he got some bad news through text but he hadn’t even touched his phone so it was really bad observation. He should know; he’d been a pro at watching Matt for a while.

The strange realization that it was personal left Neil restless, even after they’d gone to bed. Tonight was a night aboard the bus, tomorrow they’d arrive in a comfy hotel and sleep nicely in a warm bed. For now, Neil had to toss and turn and withstand the summer heat.

He sighed, back turned to the opening of the bunk. Shit, he hated nights aboard the bus, however rare they were.

Once midnight passed, Neil decided it was futile to stay where he was. He got up and jumped down, trying not to wake the rest while he walked to the sink for a glass of water. He turned on the lights in the bathroom to get some light but kept the door cracked to keep the light from waking the others. Honestly, it had been Brad to discover it was the ideal way to turn on the lights without waking anyone else.

“Neil?”

Neil turned to face Matt who rubbed his eyes with a yawn. “Can’t sleep either?”

Matt shook his head. “I’m car sick. Sounds stupid in this bus, I know.”

Neil shrugged. “Makes sense to me. Glass of water?”

After a nod, he handed Matt the glass. His fingers momentarily touched Matt’s to which he inhaled sharply and let go, dropping the glass. Neil caught it before it shattered on the floor but the water splattered on the carpeted floor. “Damnit, Matt!”

“Sorry”, Matt whispered. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Yeah well, you did it anyway. Why the fuck do you keep flinching when I touch you?! Was it something I did?” Neil hissed, careful not to wake anyone as he put away the glass. It was impossible to clean up the water out of the soaked carpet but it would dry. At least he hadn’t offered Matt a soda or a beer.

Matt shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m talking about this”, Neil grumbled, gesturing wildly to the floor between them. “You always have this weird ass response to my touch, but only to mine. I don’t get it.”

“What makes you think it’s only you?” Matt asked confused, finally replying with something else than a pathetic attempt to deny.

Neil threw his hands up. “You didn’t do it when Brad touched you.”

Matt smiled, hidden by the shadows on his face. “Because I grew up with Brad.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Neil pouted. He sighed. “Why can’t you just explain?”

“Because it’s embarrassing”, Matt muttered. “I’m an aphenphosmphobe.”

“A-A what?” Neil blinked. “Jesus, that’s one hell of a word.”

Matt chuckled softly. “It means I fear touch. Everyone’s. Just not my family because I know them, grew up with them, lived with them. It’s nothing personal!”

Neil cocked his head. “You… fear touch? Like, why?”

“I don’t know”, Matt shrugged. “I think it’s because a touch can go all kinds of ways. You can hurt someone and you never know when the simple touch someone offers, can be a hurtful one. I’m scared that one day the innocent hand on my shoulder will be the one to close around my throat.”

Neil blinked. “That’s some anxiety you’ve got there, but it makes more sense than simply being afraid of skin to skin contact.”

Matt nodded. “I’m sorry. Did I upset you with my responses? I barely notice them anymore. I’ve had it for years already.”

“I just thought that maybe you were disgusted at first”, Neil raised an eyebrow. “Or attracted to me, but that didn’t make sense either.”

Matt hummed. “I like your presence and contrary to my fears and the spiking heart rate, I don’t mind your touch as much as others. I know you. I know you won’t hurt me.”

Neil couldn’t bring himself to smile at that, simply stared at Matt. The light from the bathroom reflected into his eyes, both their eyes. Matt stuck out a hand. “Come on.”

Neil accepted the hand, watching the slight tremble jerk through Matt’s wrist but he kept their hands locked. Matt stepped closer, offering a second hand. Neil entwined their fingers, still noticing how Matt’s hand shuddered at the first touch. “Are you scared now?”

Matt shook his head. “I’ve never allowed this much, but I know you. You’re good.”

Neil finally cracked a smile at that, a smile that Matt would’ve loved to frame and save, though all he could do, was lock it into his memory and hope to never forget it. “You’re glorifying me. I’m far from good.”

Matt took another step, close enough to lay his head against Neil’s chest. “You’re good enough.”

Neil pulled away to look at Matt’s face and let go of his hand to touch his cheek with his fingertips. Matt closed his eyes but he didn’t flinch. He only smiled. Neil licked his lips before he leaned in to kiss Matt.

He’d expected a heavy response, either Matt pushing him away or a tremble rippling through Matt’s skin in fear, but all he felt, was the warmth of Matt’s lips merging with his own. He didn’t shiver, he didn’t even flinch or pull away. Matt leaned in more, encouraging him to keep going. Neil traced his skin from his hand to his wrist and up his arm to his shoulder. Matt seemed to melt more into him with it until he pulled back, gasping for breath like he took a long dive.

Neil kept their foreheads connected. “Not afraid?”

Matt grinned. “I will always be afraid of someone touching me. Just not you. Not anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment, they're our heavy fuel!  
The next fear is Basiphobia. Do you know what Matt's gonna be afraid of?


End file.
